Why ‘the most controversial queen in history’ was so hated

After years of hostility with Austria, Marie Antoinette, presented to the French court as a peace offering, divided the loyalty that plagued her with allegations that she had shared military secrets with Austria. She is considered indifferent to the French and is disgustingly mentioned to her “L’Autri-chienne” (French wordplay for both Austrian and bitch) exemplifies mistrust that promoted the public sense.

Chateau des Versailles, Disto Grand Palais RMN / Christophe Fouin

Unlike the King, the Queen had no official power and was intended to remain in the background. Marie Antoinette was thought to be too prominent and too cheerful, using her charm to interfere in political issues, secretly lobbying the ministers, and oppose the constitutional reforms that the state cried out. As far as her enemies are concerned, she had to be defeated. Honorable pamphlets circulate, some porn denounce her orgy (in fact, her only famous lover), orgy, lesbian relationships, even incest.

Gossip “all driven by misogyny,” Grant argued, “many myths that lasted… her biographies emerged in the 19th century. [were] According to Burrows, the Queen was actually very cautious. She rarely drank, she says, “a very gentle cheating” and “even her maids hated being seen naked.” The World of Marie Antoinette – Versailles’ Conspiracy, Adultery, Adultery (2020), Will Basholl speculates that her chronic uterine bleeding was caused by a sexual disease. However, he also claims that she was “emotionally abused”, “bored” and “ignored”, and concludes that while he feels guilty of seeking pleasure outside of her marriage, it is “forgive” at least for him.

In reality, “she was a dedicated mother,” Dr. Laura O’Brien, an associate professor of contemporary European history at Northumbria University in the UK, told the BBC, “The Queen’s “more gentler and emotional connections” with her children. She was the first French queen to breastfeed, and, as seen in the rejected portraits, dressed in a way that suited her parents and life in her country hideaway.